2026 Best Value Dance Schools in North Carolina
[Dance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/dance/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong dance education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for dance students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Dance Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in dance, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Dance Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of North Carolina At Greensboro the best value for a degree in dance in North Carolina. Located in the city of Greensboro, University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,661 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $24,012. Dance graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Dance graduates of University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earn a median of $24,295 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts is a great value for students pursuing a degree in dance, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts is a small public school located in the city of Winston Salem. Students from in state pay about $9,477 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $27,211. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the dance program here. Early-career dance graduates make about $14,201. That is a strong return on a $23,000 median debt. University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts admits about 30% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earned it the #3 place for dance. Located in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,239, compared with $22,492 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for dance graduates is $26,625. Soon after graduation, dance degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $23,587. Set against $26,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
A rank of #4 makes East Carolina University one of the best values for dance. Located in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,361, with out-of-state students paying around $23,638. Typical student debt for dance graduates is $24,747. Early-career dance graduates make about $51,931. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. East Carolina University admits about 89% of applicants.
Elon University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in dance, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Elon, Elon University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $46,958. Typical student debt for dance graduates is $21,619. Early-career dance graduates make about $50,463. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
View All Dance Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
